While the Vanderbilt Commodores are one of the better stories in college football this season, most Auburn fans expected the Tigers to handle them last Saturday.
Unfortunately for those fans, Vandy once again worked their magic and defeated Auburn 17-7.
The disappointing loss dropped the Tigers to 3-6 on the season and 1-5 in the SEC.
The loss to Vandy marked Auburn’s fifth loss in the last six weeks.
The loss also adds to an unfortunate streak for Auburn, marking the fourth consecutive season the team has lost five or more SEC games – a feat that hasn’t plagued the Tigers since 1930.
Head coach Hugh Freeze, now in his second year with Auburn, has been unable to steer the program out of the rough waters left by former head coach Brian Harsin, who departed midseason in 2022.
Incredibly, Freeze’s current record at Auburn (9-12) is even worse than Harsin’s (9-13).
While there’s been no official indication of a potential coaching change, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum recently speculated on possible options, suggesting that Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall might be a logical fit if Auburn chose to go in a new direction.
Discussing the situation on The Matt Barrie Show, Finebaum commented on the appeal of Sumrall, noting, “There’s connections to people at Auburn, like Sumrall.”
Reflecting on Auburn’s rough season, he added, “They only lost, what, a sixth game of the season. Is that right? Five or six? I’ve lost track.”
Finebaum, an authoritative voice in SEC football circles, went on to highlight Sumrall’s accomplishments.
Sumrall took over at Tulane this season following a successful tenure at Troy, where he compiled an impressive 30-6 record over three years.
“I don’t know him that well, but I’ve interviewed him,” Finebaum continued. “I’ve heard Sumrall’s name privately mentioned for two different SEC jobs (Auburn and Kentucky) who are not open at the moment.
“That’s how hot he is about to become. … There are literally two schools right now, if they made a change, he would be first on their list. That’s how well-received and highly respected he is.”
After a bye this weekend, Auburn will close out its regular season with games against Louisiana Monroe, No. 14 Texas A&M, and their rival, No. 11 Alabama.
What are your thoughts on Freeze’s standing at Auburn?
Do you agree with Finebaum that the Tigers should target Sumrall???